Accessible, imagery-driven female fronted music. For kids!
March 7, 2021 9:49 AM   Subscribe

My friends' eldest child is turning 6, and I'd like to make her a playlist of female artists. Her favorite, favorite song since she was three is On The Road Again. Other Willie Nelson songs are apparently okay, especially if they've got some imagery to them (her next favorite song for a while was Willie's cover of Pancho And Lefty). Lately apparently she's gotten into vocals-free surfer rock, specifically Dick Dale. I'd like to make her a playlist of female vocalists that might contain one or two new favorite songs. Suggestions?

She's been largely ambivalent to the rest of her parents' musical tastes, which span the gamut from electronica to 90s punk to 70s folk to a smattering of hip hop and whatever's on the local independent radio station. In my own musical tastes, I often gravitate to heavily produced layers of sound / orchestral backing, but I have a feeling that's the wrong direction. I'm going to throw in some of Lucius's acoustic work, but assume I know basically none of say, Taylor Swift's entire discography. I think I'm looking for songs with accessible on the first listen lyrics, heavy use of imagery, possible storytelling?, repetition, and probably much more alt country than I'm used to. But open to other suggestions.

Note: some incidental swear words are fine.
posted by deludingmyself to Media & Arts (48 answers total) 4 users marked this as a favorite
 
The Wailin' Jennys might suit, something like "Devil's Paintbrush Road."

Maybe not all of KT Tunstall, but "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" sounds likely.
posted by humbug at 9:52 AM on March 7, 2021 [1 favorite]


Maybe some Patsy Cline? She's evocative and not the biggest leap from Willie Nelson.
posted by Ferreous at 10:23 AM on March 7, 2021 [4 favorites]




Lucinda Williams, “Car Wheels on a Gravel Road” or other songs from that album, but this one is basically stream of consciousness memories of childhood so it seems great for a kid

Dar Williams, “When I Was a Boy“

Neko Case, “Margaret vs. Pauline“
posted by music for skeletons at 10:34 AM on March 7, 2021 [7 favorites]


Willie Nelson's okay. How about Kenny Rogers, who's a bit more refined, so to speak? :) From there on, I was thinking Faith Hill and Dolly Parton, but I have to admit don't know country music that much. :D

Maybe get her a Spotify account and let her explore on her own?
posted by kschang at 10:35 AM on March 7, 2021 [1 favorite]


I mean if you like story, old-school country is nothing but. Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline...Lynn especially.

But what about musicals? Les Miserables, Phantom, Oklahoma. Big sweeping stories, catchy tunes. With the benefit you can take her to a show someday.
posted by emjaybee at 10:40 AM on March 7, 2021 [2 favorites]


Vienna Teng, maybe? More experimental piano-pop than country but lots of storytelling. Also Dar Williams, possibly The Indigo Girls. If you want to stick to older country, agree on Patsy Cline, maybe old Reba? I’ve got a Suzy Boggus live album in my rotation but might be too 90s country, not enough Willie.
posted by Alterscape at 10:47 AM on March 7, 2021


I was actually introduced to the Silly Sisters album through a catalog of children's toys. "My Husband's Got No Courage in Him" is on the bawdy side and "The Seven Joys of Mary" is overtly religious, but there are a number of songs that your kid might like.
posted by FencingGal at 10:55 AM on March 7, 2021


Laura Veirs' work is generally studded with natural imagery, and she also has a folk album geared specifically toward kids. Also seconding Neko Case!
posted by eponym at 11:04 AM on March 7, 2021


Response by poster: Thanks for the suggestions, keep 'em coming. Just as a clarification, I'm looking for specific songs to put onto a playlist that I may burn to an actual CD kid can pull out and listen to, rather than broader recommendations for artists/genres.

Indigo Girls' song Get Out The Map is going on the playlist, which I'm considering titling Girls On The Road.
posted by deludingmyself at 11:10 AM on March 7, 2021


surfer tunes: the ventures, the mermen. the mermen have a shit ton of live stuff on internet archive.

not surfer, but fun instrumental: santo & johnny.
posted by j_curiouser at 11:25 AM on March 7, 2021 [1 favorite]


Ah, songs with female singers:
Lynn: "Coal Miner's Daughter" "One's on the Way" "I'm a Honky Tonk Girl"
Cline "Walkin' After Midnight" "San Antonio Stroll" "Crazy"
Parton "Coat of Many Colors" "Love is LIke a Butterfly" "I Will Always Love You" "Jolene"

Musicals
Les Mis: "Castle on a Cloud" "
Oklahoma "Cain't say No"
Phantom "Angel of Music" "All I Ask of You"
There's probably a lot of others but I am not enough of a hardcore musical kid to remember which ones have female leads/are ok for a 6-year-old
posted by emjaybee at 11:30 AM on March 7, 2021 [1 favorite]


Neko Case might work. I love Magpie to the Morning in particular.

Also on the folksy side of things: the Be-Good Tanyas - The Littlest Birds.
posted by Ufez Jones at 11:32 AM on March 7, 2021 [2 favorites]


Elizabeth Mitchell has multiple albums of music for kids (that is also enjoyable for adults)- check out Catch the Moon for a sample.
posted by mogget at 11:40 AM on March 7, 2021


I'm going to go with Emmy Lou Harris:

Luxury Liner
I Was Born to Run
Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town
Tennessee Rose

Some slower songs
Don't Miss your Water Until Your Well Runs Dry
SongBird
posted by effluvia at 11:42 AM on March 7, 2021


Second Neko Case and Emmy Lou Harris

How about...
Brandi Carlile: Keep Your Heart Young (heavily features snowballs filled with rocks, which may or may not sit well)
The Highwomen: Crowded Table, Highwomen
Sarah Jaroz: Anabelle Lee
Lori McKenna: Humble and Kind (maybe? might be too...preachy)
posted by Guess What at 11:46 AM on March 7, 2021


I'm going to lean more into the punk side:

- Less storytelling but a classic: Le Tigre - Deceptacon (note - cursing)
- Courtney Barnett may fit the funny storytelling side: Avant Gardener
- Surfing + menstruation: Tacocat - Crimson Wave
- California vibes: Best Coast - The Only Place
posted by Paper rabies at 12:28 PM on March 7, 2021 [2 favorites]


Amythyst Kiah:

"Aragon Mill" (this has been covered by lots of people, including Hazel Dickens' version). Lots of imagery.

Amythyst Kiah with a whole host of other spectacular musicians (Rhiannon Giddens, Leyla McCalla, Allison Russell) on Songs of Our Native Daughters:

"Polly Ann's Hammer." Storytelling with a fair bit of repetition.

Indigo Girls' song Get Out The Map is going on the playlist, which I'm considering titling Girls On The Road.

Ah! Maybe check out Rhiannon Giddens' cover of "Freedom Highway" (originally a Staples Singers song) from her album of the same name. Check out "On My Way" too. Actually, check out all of her stuff!
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 12:32 PM on March 7, 2021 [1 favorite]


The Roches We has some humor that a six year old might appreciate. Incidental swearing: It includes the phrase "shit hits the fan."

Their Mr. Sellack tells a story.

For the Silly Sisters, mentioned previously (without reading your question carefully enough - sorry), I'd try Doffin' Mistress and Dame Durden.
posted by FencingGal at 12:34 PM on March 7, 2021


[I cannot stand this, but] Little Boxes by Malvina Reynolds which was covered by Pete Seeger.
posted by boudicca at 12:44 PM on March 7, 2021




Woo Hoo by the 5,6,7,8s sounds like it would be right up her alley.
posted by hoodrich at 12:52 PM on March 7, 2021


Response by poster: Woo Hoo by the 5,6,7,8s sounds like it would be right up her alley.

oh wow you're right and also her mom is going to murder me
posted by deludingmyself at 12:54 PM on March 7, 2021 [3 favorites]


Cowboy Junkies sing Sweet Jane by the Velvet Underground.

But anything by Cowboy Junkies

2nding The Highwomen

Beautiful take on The Highwaymen song
Performed by
Amanda Shires, Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris, Natalie Hemby, The Highwomen, Yola
posted by cda at 1:10 PM on March 7, 2021 [2 favorites]


This is a little different from her normal sound, but Mitski just released an amazing alt-country song for the soundtrack of an upcoming graphic novel.
posted by thebots at 1:34 PM on March 7, 2021 [2 favorites]


Joni Mitchell's Big Yellow Taxi was a childhood fave for me.
posted by Mender at 2:36 PM on March 7, 2021


Freight Train - Elizabeth Cotten
Gonna be an Engineer - Peggy Seeger
One Piece at a Time - Michelle Shocked (Johnny Cash did the famous version, and Shocked is a homophobe, which may explain why i failed to find it online.)
posted by mahorn at 2:46 PM on March 7, 2021


which I'm considering titling Girls On The Road.

Nancy Griffith, Ford Econoline
posted by MonkeyToes at 3:09 PM on March 7, 2021 [2 favorites]


Wanda Jackson and Jack White: Thunder on the Mountain. The lyrics are about traveling on the railroad, and weather as a metaphor. Jack White's guitar playing is pretty raucous, but it's a very visually rich song, if a bit risqué.
posted by effluvia at 3:22 PM on March 7, 2021


For surf music, The Surfrajettes are pretty fine. They mostly do covers of traditional surf music, with lots of videos explaining their guitars, music, and inspiration.
posted by blob at 3:32 PM on March 7, 2021 [1 favorite]


The Surfrajettes visit Norman's Rare Guitars. An early video, before they had anything recorded.
posted by blob at 3:33 PM on March 7, 2021


My friends and I used to love singing Janis Joplin's Mercedes Benz at the top of our voices. I don't know why, but it definitely seems like a song little girls like, assuming blasphemy is okay in your house (my friends I learned it from were daughters of a pastor because that's how these things go).
posted by hydropsyche at 4:06 PM on March 7, 2021


If the kid digs rock'n'roll, she should rock out the The Muffs' cover of The Zeros' Beat Your Heart Out. Every child should experience the late great Kim Shattuck's unmatched wail.
posted by whuppy at 4:20 PM on March 7, 2021 [1 favorite]


show her who invented rock n' roll: Big Mama Thornton and Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
posted by Sauce Trough at 4:22 PM on March 7, 2021 [2 favorites]


Little Boxes by Malvina Reynolds
Grandpa (Tell my bout the good old days) by The Judds
Landslide by Fleetwood Mac
posted by MadMadam at 5:28 PM on March 7, 2021


Mary-Chapin Carpenter - Down at the Twist & Shout, and Dreamland
posted by SuperSquirrel at 6:18 PM on March 7, 2021


When I was her age, my favorite song was also On the Road Again. My second favorite song was Hit Me with your Best Shot by Pat Benatar, so that’s obviously my suggestion :)

If you’re open to another Indigo Girls song - what about Galileo?
posted by okayokayigive at 1:29 AM on March 8, 2021


In that 5678s/Dick Dale vibe:
- maybe Wanda Jackson's older stuff: Whirlpool, or Funnel of Love. Both accessible, catchy and have a touch of that crisp Dick Dale guitar sound.
- Skinny Vinnie by Goldie and the Gingerbreads.
- the Raincoats' cover of Lola.
posted by trotzdem_kunst at 1:31 AM on March 8, 2021


I didn't see anyone mention Margo Price - her version of Learning to Lose (with Willie Nelson) is great. I feel like "Graceland" by Paul Simon might be a good fit. Someone mentioned Vienna Teng above, "Homecoming (Walter's Song)" might be a good choice for storytelling (though there are a couple of adultish themes briefly), or "No Gringo". Counting Crows, "Mrs. Potter's Lullaby" or "A Murder of One" could be in the right space. The Dixie Chicks "Traveling Soldier" is a sweet story-song, and right up the strong female alley.
For some reason, "Crawling Back to You" by Tom Petty comes to mind for this genre. Josh Ritter has some amazing storytelling songs - "Monster Ballads" or "Let's See Where The Night Goes" or "The Curse" are the first that come to mind. Bonnie Raitt & John Prine doing "Angel From Montgomery" could be good, as could a ton of other John Prine songs. First Aid Kit, "Emmylou" or The Secret Sisters, "He's Fine” could also work well. So many choices, I'm barely scratching the surface. Let me know if you want more. :-)
posted by jferg at 5:00 AM on March 8, 2021


A couple that my daughter liked:

Shawn Colvin - Sunny Came Home

Joan Osborne - One of Us
posted by doctord at 6:32 AM on March 8, 2021 [1 favorite]


Shana Cleveland is a top surf guitarist and her band La Luz mixes in sixties girl group vocals. Solo, she's more pensive and more of a storyteller.
posted by bendybendy at 6:55 AM on March 8, 2021


Kate and Anna McGarrigle's Swimming Song was a childhood fave of mine.

My kid, when she was 3, went through a phase where Neko Case's record Fox Confessor Brings the Flood was her fave. Margaret vs. Pauline is on that record.

Le Tigre is a great way to push this genre! Hot Topic, Deceptacon, What's Yr Take on Cassavetes, they are all super jams.

The Knitters have a good record too - it's basically X but alt-country, so you get Exene singing Wrecking Ball. Or you could just listen to a whole bunch of X. My favorite record is More Fun in the New World, which has a bunch of bangers on it.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 7:06 AM on March 8, 2021 [1 favorite]


How about songs from the Steven Universe soundtrack? I'd strongly recommend the TV series for your friend, but the songs themselves can be enjoyed on their own, and both my girls (now 10 and 13) have known all the lyrics for years. Just look for "Steven Universe Songs" on YouTube (here's a playlist.)

Good starting points: We Are The Crystal Gems (theme), Stronger Than You, Do It For Her, Peace and Love (on Planet Earth), Disobedient, Giant Woman, Tower of Mistakes, Love Like You, Haven't you noticed I'm a star

Of course, if she's a fan of the show the songs gain extra meaning.
posted by snarfois at 7:31 AM on March 8, 2021


Maybe Kacey Musgraves:
The Trailer Song or Merry Go Round are more country
High Horse is more like... disco-country?
posted by jabes at 1:52 PM on March 8, 2021


I think a kid would totally dig Scrawl's simple and repetitious Let It All Hang Out. Mine did.

Scrawl is one of my all time favorite bands, but don't send a kid too deep into their catalog as it tends to take a sad, grown-up view of relationships and such.
posted by whuppy at 4:19 PM on March 8, 2021


What no Go-Go's? And does Fred Schneider automatically disqualify the B-52's?

Oh wait! Heavily instrumental, check. Female vocalist, check. Guitar-forward and up-tempo, check and check. Play them some Pylon!
posted by whuppy at 4:24 PM on March 8, 2021 [1 favorite]


Surf rock? With or without vocals? Most of the Breeders’ Last Splash album, but especially Cannonball.

As far as songs with more lyrics, I’ll be Obvious Man and point you to the Supremes and to some early 60’s girl groups like the Crystals (Da Doo Ron Ron is gloriously catchy nonsense and might work).
posted by Huffy Puffy at 7:04 PM on March 8, 2021 [3 favorites]


Odetta (Holmes) - The Fox; Children's Trilogy; Santy Anno; Sail Away, Ladies
Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks - I'm an Old Cowhand, The Euphonius Whale
Boswell Sisters - Louisiana Hayride, Forty-Second Street
Edie Brickell - Me by the Sea, Oak Cliff Bra, Picture Perfect Morning
Natasha St. Pier - Tous les Acadiens

n'ting Loretta Lynn, but I'm having trouble thinking of specific songs.
posted by eotvos at 6:27 AM on March 9, 2021


« Older Nonbinary-friendly Tailor in Dallas   |   Finding out about automata sculptor Katie Rowe(?) Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.


Tags

Share